Global e-Invoicing

e-Invoicing for Public Administrations

The efficiencies, speed of response and management improvements provided by the use of e-invoicing has led the European Union to define a single digital agenda which pursues a closer relation of public administrations with the citizen and improved management in all EU countries.

In this context, e-invoicing becomes a key tool to improve the relations between a public authority and its community of suppliers and creditors. The enhanced security provided in the sending process or streamlining of administrative procedures in the accounts payable department’s encourage the initial aim set out in the EU’s single digital agenda.

EDICOM’s Global e-Invoicing Platform simplifies the issuing of e-invoices according to the specifications of the various European public administrations. This type of solutions poses different challenges, as communication is one of the most important and hard to manage aspects, involving the development of different point-to-point connectors depending on the specific administrations to be linked.

Examples of European public administrations that require the use of e-invoicing by suppliers and creditors:

France

Between 2017 and 2020, all public administration suppliers should join the e-invoicing system. Incorporation will take place gradually based on the size of the company, the largest being the first to join.

The system allows the issuance of structured XMLs or digitally signed PDFs. All bills must be sent via the administration’s “Chorus Portal Pro 2017”.

Spain

Public administration suppliers must bill electronically using an XML format known as FACTURAe. The document must be digitally signed and sent to the administrations through the “General Entry Point for Invoicing” to which the recipient administration is attached. +

The Italian public administration requires its suppliers to send an XML file digitally signed and with an electronic timestamp Invoices are sent through the administration’s interchange system known as SdI (Sistema di Interscambio).

Invoice issuer’s and recipients must take responsibility for their safekeeping in accordance with an electronic storage process designated “Conservazione Elettronica”